Falcons flying in Pikeville

PIKEVILLE -- Whistles blew, instructions were shouted and footballs flew through the air.

Following a 10-3 season and a trip to the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs a year ago, Charles B. Aycock is back at work on the practice field.

The Golden Falcons were busy on Tuesday. Day two of their preseason practice focused on fundamentals, rebuilding muscle memory and getting players back into football shape.

"Yesterday we focused on across the field movement," said 12th-year head coach Randy Pinkowski. "Right now it's about getting the kids back into football movements and getting their muscle memory down. We're a real, real fundamentally-based football team.

"We think everything starts with the feet and works up from there."

The turnout for summer workouts and the first two days of practice has been encouraging for Pinkowski. Aycock is fielding a freshman team this season along with a junior varsity squad, giving Pinkowski depth throughout the program.

"I'm real thrilled with the turnout, particularly among our younger players," said Pinkowski. "The varsity guys, you know they're going to be there and work with you all summer. The young kids, the JV kids and a few of the select of ninth graders we asked to come out have been out here and are really doing a lot of good work.

"We're looking at having 30 or so for the varsity and I've got 35 JV kids out here."

The Golden Falcons return depth at key positions, have grown comfortable in their return to the I-formation offensively and at least on the varsity level have made Pinkowski's job easier with less teaching to do.

"That's been a good thing about bringing our JV's with us this year (in practice) is it's so night and day," said Pinkowski. "You're working with these JV kids and they know so little and their footwork is terrible and then the second half you're working with the varsity kids and their dropping right into position.

"The great thing about that is that varsity kid who was that JV kid two years ago. Having the experienced guys out here with the experienced guys keeps us from having to do all that teaching."